Manufacturers vs Consumers : Bridging Africa’s Market Gap

By Beatrice Mwasi, Managing Director, CBiT

Last week in Lusaka, I had the privilege of moderating a high-stakes continental dialogue on “Manufacturers vs Consumers: Bridging Africa’s Market Gap” during the 18th Africa Leather Value Chain Annual Forum, the continent’s flagship platform for strengthening the leather ecosystem.

The session brought together producers, designers and retailers from across Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt and South Africa, and one truth quickly emerged: Africa does not lack creativity, capacity or demand

It lacks market alignment.

Across the panel, we heard it loud and clear:
🇿🇲 From Zambia: Manufacturers who can meet global standards remain invisible in their own markets — overshadowed by imports driven by familiarity, not superiority.
🇺🇬 From Uganda: SMEs are already producing products with strong competitive potential — but without market intelligence and the platforms to reach consumers, scaling remains out of reach.
🇰🇪 From Kenya: A new African consumer is emerging: brand-aware, sustainability-driven, and seeking identity through what they wear. The market is ready. Are we?
🇪🇬 From Egypt: Domestic markets alone cannot sustain growth. Africa must build Africa-wide retail systems, including trade houses, integrated distribution, and seamless cross-border access.
🇺🇬 Again from Uganda: Consumer perception is a real barrier. Many still believe imported = better. Changing this mindset requires consistent, visible excellence.
🇿🇦 From South Africa: Counterfeit and synthetic materials passing as “leather” are confusing consumers and harming genuine producers, especially when plastics are dressed up as sustainability.

The message was unmistakable: Africa’s market gap is not only industrial. It is structural, behavioural and informational.

Closing it requires: insight-driven decision-making, accessible routes to market, sustainability leadership, brand strength and efficient production systems.

This is exactly where RLSD Africa is driving change.

At the RLSD Africa Talent Leather Design Showcase 2025, emerging designers proved that leather can respond to the evolving expectations of consumers in Africa and globally, commercially, creatively and sustainably.

I’m grateful to Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute and our exceptional panelists Yolanda Odida, Bassem Lotfy, Richard Franklin,  Zelalem Merawi, Nabusulwa Merab and Phumi Körber  for advancing this critical conversation.

Leather Lives On. From Nature’s By-Product to Africa’s Sustainable Style.